SISMI

The Military Intelligence and Security Service (SISMI) was the military intelligence agency of Italy from 1977 to 2001. The SISMI's creation dated back to 1900, when it was known as the SIM; it became SIFAR in 1949, SID in 1965, and SISMI in 1977, with each reorganization being done to increase effectiveness and to bring the agencies more under civilian control. After SID chief Vito Miceli was arrested for supporting the failed Golpe Borghese coup in 1970, SISMI was reorganized in a democratic attempt. SISMI was involved with numerous clandestine operations, such as covert support of far-right militants during the "Years of Lead" in Italy, the forgery of evidence that Ba'athist Iraq had purchased yellowcake uranium from Niger in 2002, and the spying on European magistrates from 2001 to 2006. In 2007, SISMI was replaced by AISE.